South Africa Meerkat Project
South Africa Meerkat Project was founded in 1990. The group started off with a few biologists working to start a project on the study of meerkats. The project was part of the nature conservation program which sttudies about animal behavior all over the state. The group grew as the foundation of the project increased and became more successful in the functions. With the production, there was also need of a suitable site for the project. The project is based on the study of meerkats and their world of unique behavior and life structure so the site had to be in an area where there was a high meerkat population density. The first site provided was located at the Gemsbok Park in 1992. There was a suitable number of meerkat population. The first step was trying to study the meerkats and the only way to do that was to habuate the different groups to be able to get close to them without the skittish animals running away at the first site of a human being. Luck came to the project when some nature conservationists who were experienced in habuating animals were provided. The first step was to entise the animals to human presence and by doing that we had to feed them boiled egg and water through rabbit drinking bottles. Slowly the meerkats began to not only associate our presents with food but also became more relaxed and comfortable with our presence. The next step was to try and track the groups in their daily foraging trips and to do that we needed to radio collar an individual. We soon radio collared one of the dominant meerkats/Alpha meerkats either the dominant female or male and we were able to find the groups. Through these processes the South African Meerkat Project was able to habuate different groups and knew different individuals. We even had the pleasure of naming the different groups, individuals. ID Codes Since then the project has functioned and is still functioning today. Some of the groups have died out and new groups are being studied. The groups have names with abbreviations Example:(W for Whiskers , RR for Rascals, HP for Hoppla , L for Lazuli , E for Elveera, BB for Baobab, etc etc etc) the maximum is two abbreviations and no more. The meerkats are named aswell and each has a code with the V for Van Zylrus meerkat population, the group name abbreviation to show which group that individual was born in , M for male or F for female and the number which shows the individuals position. Example VWF004 , V means this meerkat is in the Van Zylrus population, W this meerkat was in the Whiskers group, F means this meerkat was a female individual and 004 means that this individual was the 4rth individual born in the Whiskers group. Normally meerkats are given their codes and names when they are still pups after they have gone foraging with the group. Somtimes adults with no names and only codes can be given a name if the individual is still alive. If wild meerkats join an established group then they are firstly given the code of that group once they have been seen to permanently remain in the group without dispersing. Then they can be given a name. The code comes first before the name. If an individual join, normally males, to another established group, then they remain with the code of the group they were in before. If individuals are evicted, normally females, and form another established group, they still remain with the codes of the group they were in before. Meerkat Mobs never start witht he same letter if there is one already that begins with that letter. New mobs get an currently unused letter and are named by the whole reserchers' group. There can be no Hopplla or Hoax exsisting at the same time. Meerkat Groups Meerkat Mobs The following are the current Mobs of the South African Meerkat Project which are featured on this wiki. Aztecs The Aztecs was started by a splinter group from the Whiskers and was joined by Incas males(males from the Whiskers that formed the Incas group). Aztecs is currently one of the large mobs. Baobab The Baobab was started by Whiskers females and wild males. Baobab is currently one of the large mobs. Commandos The Commandos was started by Gattaca females and Young Ones males. Commandos is currently one of the large groups. [[Drie Doring Mob|'Drie Doring']] The Drie Doring was started by seven wild meerkats. Drie Dorign is currently one of the smallest mobs. Elveera The Elveera was started by Phantom females and males. Elveera is currently one of the small mobs. Frisky The Frisky was started by Young Ones females and wild males. Frisky is currently one of the large mobs. [[Geckos Mob|'Geckos' ]] The Geckos were formed by Commando females and wild males. Geckos are currently one of the smallest mobs. [[Hoppla Mob|'Hoppla']] The Hoppla was started by wild females Hoppla is currently one of the small mobs. JaXX The JaXX was started by Lazuli females and wild males. JaXX is currently one of the large mobs. Kung Fu The Kung Fu was started bya Commandos female and a Gattaca female, a Frisky male, two Whisker males and two wild males. Kung Fu is currently one of the large mobs. Lazuli The Lazuli was started by Avatar females and wild males. Lazuli is currently one of the large mobs. Moomins The Moomins was started by Lazuli females and Drie Doring males. Moomins is currently one of the large mobs. Rascals The Rascals was started by Vivian females and wild males. Rascals is currently one of the large mobs. Sequoia The Sequoia was started by a Commandos female, Whiskers female and Toyota males. Sequoia is currently one of the small mobs. [[Toyota Mob|'Toyota']] The Toyota was started by Whiskers females and wild males. Toyota is currently one of the small mobs. Urukhai The Urukhai is started by a splinter from Baobab. Urukhai is currently one of the small mobs. [[Whiskers Mob|'Whiskers']] The Whiskers was started by Young Ones females , two Lazuli males and a wild male. Whiskers is one of the old groups and is still well established and very successful group. Whiskers is currently one of the large mobs. Zappa The Zappa was started by Elveera females and Dring Doring males. Zappa is currently one of the small mobs. Category:Meerkat Mobs Category:Meerkat Projects